Pawns
by Shadowgirl E-ko
Summary: Musings over a game of chess


Disclaimer: Okay, as everybody is well aware, I don't own anybody from Kenshin, if so, Shishio would die a thousand horrible deaths for hurting those precious bishies...his death wasn't cruel enough.Anywho, please bear with me because I wrote this after watching the last two tapes of the Kyoto saga at 3 in the morning with five other hyper fangirls (see what it makes you do? CM, I'm talking to you!) Yup, so..........lost my train of thought.....oh yeah, Kenshin's the property of whoever owns him...the name escapes me right now, but it's not me!  
  
  
  
Pawns  
  
  
  
"Shall we play again?" he devishly smiled.   
  
  
  
"Of course." the old woman smiled. "But shouldn't you get going soon?"  
  
  
  
"Not yet." he replied.   
  
  
  
Both took the pieces that were on and off the bord and placed them at their right places.  
  
  
  
"Ladies first." he smiled.  
  
  
  
She took hold of the board and turned it so the white pieces were in front   
of her. She first played the pawn on the right side of the board. He retaliated   
by moving the exact opposite on his side of the board.  
  
  
  
"It's been a long time since we played like this." she remarked has they played.   
  
  
  
"I've been busy for the last couple of years. " he answered.  
  
  
  
"Try the last ten years." she scoffed. "Yet, I see your skills at this game   
haven't deminished."  
  
  
  
"I tried to keep a sharp mind." he told her, moving his knight to make the first capture of the game, her pawn. "But you seem to be slipping."  
  
  
  
"The old woman shrugged and and made her move, freeing her bishop from the line of pawns. For some time, they played in silence. Most of the woman's pieces were taken by him, but he lost the majority of his pawns.   
  
  
  
"You still play the same way." she noticed.  
  
  
  
"You know my views on paws." he replied, moving to taker her tower.   
  
  
  
"Yes...that little philosophy." she sighed, taking the last of his pawns. "Do you still believe in that?"  
  
  
  
  
  
"That "Little philosophy" has governed the last ten years of my life." he replied, taking the time to think his next move. "It is the way that I'll live till the day I die."  
  
  
  
"Oh Koto-kun." she sighed again. "Your pawns are the most important pieces in the game."  
  
  
  
"I doubt that." he scoffed. "In the game, much like in life, pawns are only useful for clearing the way for the stronger pieces."  
  
  
  
"Oh really?" she asked, before using a pawn to topple his queen. "This pawn doesn't seem that weak. May your philosophy be wrong?"   
  
  
  
He looked at the...detestable piece that had taken his queen. She was running her finger on the top of the piece. His eyes narrowed has her finger traced a cross-shaped patterns on it.   
  
  
  
"You seem disturbed Koto-kun." she softly said.  
  
  
  
"It's nothing." he replied.   
  
  
  
"Good, because this game is going to be over soon." she calmly smiled.  
  
  
  
He raised an eyebrow in questionning, then looked at the board and gasped. His king had been surrounded by four pawns. The last pawn, which had taken his queen, was the one who posed the more danger to his king.  
  
  
  
"No matter how fast the queen is, a simple pawn can overtake it." she said. "Then anything can take the King. A scar, a wolf, a rooster, a shadow...."  
  
  
  
At this moment, he had a terrible feeling of foreboding. Looking at the board, he saw that there were no moves that he could do to save his King.  
  
  
  
"My King has fallen." he said, knocking over his own King.   
  
  
  
She smiled at him and the door leading to the outside of the room opened swiftly.  
  
  
  
"Lord," Houji said, "It is time, they are coming."  
  
  
"Very well, Houji." Shishio said, then turned back to the smiling old woman. "The next time we play, things will be much different."  
  
  
"I hope so, Makoto." she smiled, "I hope so."  
  
  
She put away the chess pieces as both men left the room and walked out of the Shrine of the seven arches herself. In her mind and heart, she was sure that the ultimate chess game would soon be played.   
  
~owari~  
  
  
How was it? Hope you enjoyed the product of late night, bishies galore, rabid fangirls and sugar high. Review, please? Flames are okay, I use them to roast marshmellows! 


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